Menu

Young adults young adulting – since 2014

Is the Marvel Cinematic Universe Getting a Makeover?

After almost a full decade of hits, is the Marvel Cinematic Universe changing its visual style?

If there’s one major complaint held against Marvel’s slew of blockbuster superhero films in recent years, it’s their visuals. Despite bringing some of the best comic book adaptations to the screen, Marvel’s films have almost never captured the vibrant colours and eye-catching visuals of their original comics.

Perhaps in an effort to better streamline their numerous films into one visually coherent universe, it seems the studio lost some of their graphic flair along the way. Cinematography has gotten flatter, colours grew dimmer, and frankly, Marvel films just got uglier. It really came to a head in Captain America: Civil War, which managed to make this original source material:

Look like this:

Thankfully, it seems this complaint is now being addressed if promos for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok are to be believed, which seem to finally be adding some much-needed colour and quality aesthetic back into this universe.

The original Guardians of the Galaxy was one of Marvel’s previous visual standouts, and it seems its sequel plans to push this forward, utilizing a new Red 8K camera to better capture colour. Not surprisingly, Vol. 2’s trailer alone is already more vibrant and beautifully shot than most films in Marvel’s catalogue.

Look, colours!:

Similarly, the recent promotional photos of Thor: Ragnarok feature a renewed colour palette, rocking an 80’s aesthetic as eye-catching as Thor’s new haircut.

With both upcoming sequels obviously striving for unique and colourful looks, is this the end of Marvel’s drab streak? Are we finally going to see the end to the grey and sterile look, instead making way for more personalized, artistic visuals? After all these years, if Marvel really is looking to inject a little life back into their universe, then this is exactly the way to do it.